Marine invasive alien species: a threat to global biodiversity

To support invasive alien species risk assessments, the Tracking Invasive Alien Species (TrIAS) project has developed an automated, open, workflow incorporating state-of-the-art species distribution modelling practices to create risk maps using the open source language R. It is based on Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data and openly published environmental data layers characterizing climate and land cover. Our workflow requires only a species name and generates an ensemble of machine-learning algorithms (Random Forest, Boosted Regression Trees, K-Nearest Neighbors and AdaBoost) stacked together as a meta-model to produce the final risk map at 1 km2 resolution (Fig. 1). Risk maps are generated automatically for standard Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) greenhouse gas emission scenarios and are accompanied by maps illustrating the confidence of each individual prediction across space, thus enabling the intuitive visualization and understanding of how the confidence of the model varies across space and scenario (Fig. 2). The effects of sampling bias are accounted for by providing options to: use the sampling effort of the higher taxon the modelled species belongs to (e.g., vascular plants), and to thin species occurrences. use the sampling effort of the higher taxon the modelled species belongs to (e.g., vascular plants), and to thin species occurrences. The risk maps generated by our workflow are defensible and repeatable and provide forecasts of alien species distributions under further climate change scenarios. They can be used to support risk assessments and guide surveillance efforts on alien species in Europe. The detailied modeling framework and code are available on GitHub: https://github.com/trias-project.

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Existing indicators do not adequately monitor progress towards meeting invasive alien species targets

10.32942/osf.io/mn52e ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Joana Raquel Silva Vicente ◽

Ana Sofia Vaz ◽

Mariona Roige ◽

Marten Winter ◽

David Clarke ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biological Invasions ◽

Alien Species ◽

Gap Analysis ◽

Invasive Alien Species ◽

Theory Of Change ◽

Insufficient Data ◽

State Response ◽

The Status ◽

Global Biodiversity ◽

Pressure State

Monitoring the progress parties have made toward meeting global biodiversity targets requires appropriate indicators. The recognition of Invasive alien species (IAS) as a biodiversity threat has led to the development of specific targets aiming at reducing their prevalence and impact. However, indicators for adequately monitoring and reporting on the status of biological invasions have been slow to emerge, with those that exist being arguably insufficient. We performed a systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature to assess the adequacy of existing IAS indicators against a range of policy-relevant and scientifically valid properties. We found that very few indicators have most of the desirable properties, and that existing indicators are unevenly spread across the components of the Driver-Pressure-State-Response and Theory of Change frameworks. We provide three possible reasons for this: i) inadequate attention paid to the requirements of an effective IAS indicator, (ii) insufficient data required to populate and inform policy-relevant, scientifically robust indicators, or (iii) deficient investment in the development and maintenance of IAS indicators. This review includes a gap analysis of where current inadequacies in IAS indicators exist, and provides a roadmap for the future development of indicators capable of measuring progress made toward mitigating and halting biological invasions.

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The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)’s Post-2020 target on invasive alien species – what should it include and how should it be monitored?

NeoBiota ◽

10.3897/neobiota.62.53972 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 62 ◽

pp. 99-121 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Franz Essl ◽

Guillaume Latombe ◽

Bernd Lenzner ◽

Shyama Pagad ◽

Hanno Seebens ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biological Invasions ◽

Alien Species ◽

Biological Diversity ◽

Invasive Alien Species ◽

Convention On Biological Diversity ◽

Wide Range ◽

Biodiversity Policy ◽

Global Biodiversity ◽

Main Components

The year 2020 and the next few years are critical for the development of the global biodiversity policy agenda until the mid-21st century, with countries agreeing to a Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Reducing the substantial and still rising impacts of invasive alien species (IAS) on biodiversity will be essential if we are to meet the 2050 Vision where biodiversity is valued, conserved, and restored. A tentative target has been developed by the IUCN Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG), and formally submitted to the CBD for consideration in the discussion on the Post-2020 targets. Here, we present properties of this proposal that we regard as essential for an effective Post-2020 Framework. The target should explicitly consider the three main components of biological invasions, i.e. (i) pathways, (ii) species, and (iii) sites; the target should also be (iv) quantitative, (v) supplemented by a set of indicators that can be applied to track progress, and (vi) evaluated at medium- (2030) and long-term (2050) time horizons. We also present a proposed set of indicators to track progress. These properties and indicators are based on the increasing scientific understanding of biological invasions and effectiveness of responses. Achieving an ambitious action-oriented target so that the 2050 Vision can be achieved will require substantial effort and resources, and the cooperation of a wide range of stakeholders.

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Invasive alien species - a threat to global biodiversity and opportunities to prevent and manage them.

Western corn rootworm: ecology and management ◽

10.1079/9780851998176.0001 ◽

2009 ◽

pp. 1-28 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

R. Wittenberg

Keyword(s):

Alien Species ◽

Invasive Alien Species ◽

Global Biodiversity

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Suggestions for the Improvement of the Invasive Alien Species Management in Korea - A Comparative Analysis of the Legal Framework for Invasive Alien Species between Japan and Korea

Journal of Environmental Policy and Administration ◽

10.15301/jepa.2013.06.21.2.35 ◽

2013 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Saeromi Mun

Keyword(s):

Comparative Analysis ◽

Alien Species ◽

Invasive Alien Species ◽

Legal Framework ◽

Species Management

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Achieving Aichi biodiversity targets: Prevention, control, or eradication of invasive alien species that threaten biodiversity, agricultural production, and human well-being

10.1603/ice.2016.93650 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Junko Shimura

Keyword(s):

Alien Species ◽

Agricultural Production ◽

Invasive Alien Species ◽

Well Being ◽

Aichi Biodiversity Targets

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Invasive alien species in China: the current situation, problems and possible solutions

Advances in Earth and Environmental Sciences ◽

10.2495/icesep131351 ◽

2013 ◽

Author(s):

Congcong Xu

Keyword(s):

Alien Species ◽

Invasive Alien Species ◽

Current Situation

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Introduction and Spread of the Invasive Alien Species Ageratina altissima in a Disturbed Forest Ecosystem

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13116152 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (11) ◽

pp. 6152

Author(s):

Eunyoung Kim ◽

Jaeyong Choi ◽

Wonkyong Song

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

South Korea ◽

Alien Species ◽

Invasive Alien Species ◽

Management Policy ◽

Economic Damage ◽

Forest Edges ◽

Forest Interior ◽

Lower Elevation ◽

Canopy Area

Invasive alien species (IAS) not only displace nearby indigenous plants and lead to habitat simplification but also cause severe economic damage by invading arable lands. IAS invasion processes involve external forces such as species characteristics, IAS assemblage traits, environmental conditions, and inter-species interactions. In this study, we analyzed the invasion processes associated with the introduction and spread of Ageratina altissima, a representative invasive plant species in South Korea. We investigated 197 vegetation quadrats (2 × 20 m) in regions bordering 47 forests in southern Seoul and Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. A total of 23 environmental variables were considered, which encompassed vegetation, topography, land use, and landscape ecology indices. The model was divided into an edge and an interior model and analyzed using logistic regression and a decision tree (DT) model. The occurrence of Ageratina altissima was confirmed in 61 sites out of a total of 197. According to our analysis, Ageratina altissima easily invaded forest edges with low density. The likelihood of its occurrence increased with lower elevation and gentler slope. In contrast, the spread of Ageratina altissima in the forest interior, especially based on seed spread and permeability, was favored by a lower elevation and gentler slopes. The analysis of Ageratina altissima settlement processes in forest edges coupled with the DT model demonstrated that land characteristics, such as the proximity to urbanized areas and the number of shrub and tree species, play a pivotal role in IAS settlement. In the forest interior, Ageratina altissima did not occur in 68 of the 71 sites where the soil drainage was under 2.5%, and it was confirmed that the tree canopy area had a significant impact on forest spread. Based on these results, it can be assumed that Ageratina altissima has spread in South Korean forests in much the same way as other naturalized species. Therefore, vegetation management strategies for naturalized species should be developed in parallel with land use management policy in regions surrounding forest edges to successfully manage and control Ageratina altissima invasion.

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